Mary Beth Orr releases an immersive, soulful horn performance piece, ‘Appalachia and Wayfaring Stranger (After Traditional Hymns).’

As a classically trained hornist and folk vocal artist, Mary establishes a beautiful connection between soul and music through her theatrical, cinematic soundscapes. By combining two of her favorite current genres, folk and classical, she brings the best of two worlds together with nothing but her horn and voice.

‘Appalachia and Wayfaring Stranger (After Traditional Hymns)’ is the first track from her latest album release, ‘The Singing Horn,’ where she collaborates with other artists to take listeners on a folk/classical musical journey covering themes of God, Nature, Love, Life, and Death. The track opens with an awakening horn melody, evoking the sensation of witnessing a sunrise across a majestic landscape. The opus takes poignant pauses as the composition twists and turns, moving at unpredictable tempos, each section telling a tale through sound.

At over 6 minutes, Mary’s composition moves at an unhurried tempo. A particularly beautiful section around the 3-minute mark has a short interplay between horn instruments. Its whimsical and wonderful to hear the range of pitch, bass, and timbre sounds Mary can produce with her instrument. It speaks highly to her creative musical vision. This is an artist who flows with her intuition and wants her music to feel as authentic as possible.

At the 5-minute mark, we’re treated to hearing Mary’s soaring, commanding vocals singing a soulful ballad. Underscoring her voice is the subtlest of bass, played by Mark Buchner. Her vocal delivery is mesmerizing, and she uses the full range of her voice to transport the listener to where the story goes. This track concludes in the most spiritually intense way, with her singing, ‘Im just going home…’. It’s an energetically powerful moment that concludes the track and leaves the listener in stunned silence. This is a must-listen for those who appreciate music with a soul, story and human emotion. We’d recommend giving this track and the rest of ‘The Singing Horn’ a listen in a quiet, undisturbed space.

Embark on a journey with ‘Mary Beth Orr – Appalachia and Wayfaring Stranger (After Traditional Hymns)’: